Interview with: Katherine Larson

Katherine Larson is an award-winning photographer from Houston, Texas specializing in fashion, music and fine-art photography. Katherine’s work has a nostalgic appeal and a vintage aesthetic that we just love…

When did you first know that photography was something that you wanted to pursue as a career?
I’ve always had a passion for photography; taking pictures of special moments as I grew up was always my main way to express myself. It wasn’t until I was nineteen that I started shooting more fine art and fashion. From there, I realized that this is what I was born to do; my passion for it consumes me.

I realized that this is what I was born to do; my passion for it consumes me.

Why do you photograph and where do you want it to take you?
I photograph because it’s the time when I feel most myself. It’s how I express my true identity. I can create images that show people how I see others and the world – beautiful. I want my photography to take me so many places; I want to travel the world and meet many different people, experience many different cultures, and see many amazing moments. I love hearing people’s stories from all walks of life and my photography allows me to get to know these people on a more personal level and then try my best to express their emotions through my lens.

How would you define your style? What is it that you want your images to say?
I would say the best word to describe my style is vintage. I’ve been told that a lot of my digital work looks like film, which is awesome. I love the nostalgic look of film! Most of my work is digital but I work really hard to create a vintage style with my post-processing. I always want my image to convey that person’s emotion. I very rarely have my models look into my camera; I want them to be channeling a really deep emotion when shooting with me so the viewer can feel the passion, sadness, happiness or love that the subject is feeling. I’m all about getting in touch with your feelings 😉

Are you a meticulous planner or a believer in spontaneity during a shoot? Talk us through your process on a typical photoshoot.
I’m all about spontaneity! I do plan all of my shoots to some extent but I find that my creativity just comes to me when I see a certain movement, location, outfit or light. I usually spend some time planning out the shoot as far as location, wardrobe, hair and make-up with the subject beforehand. I try to get a feel for who this person is and what kind of situation might best represent them so that they can really be comfortable and themselves while we shoot! Once we meet up, we will usually scout out the location and see what we feel works best. I always play music and have fun while shooting because the images always come out way more powerful when the model is in the zone and comfortable!

What has been the best piece of advice given to you?
The best advice given to me was to not worry about the future and to chase after my dreams relentlessly no matter what. This person told me “If you’re so passionate about something, you’ll never be happy doing anything else. Give everything up to make your dreams happen. Don’t settle for anything but success in your field, because eventually you will get there if you work hard enough”.

What is next for you?
I’m not sure what’s next for me honestly. I want to find an agency to be represented by and eventually shoot for the Free People catalog/website!